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Friday, December 18, 2009

Four Reasons That Google Adwords Is Not Meant For Beginners

by Trish Thackston

Google Adwords, with its instant global reach, is a tremendously powerful marketing tool that can turn your business into an overnight success. So, why would a new marketer ever consider other forms of marketing? I can answer that question with another question. Why wouldn't you let someone with a new driver's license behind the wheel of a race car? Google Adwords is the fastest vehicle for marketing available and it is not for beginners.

When examining your advertising options, the reasons to stay away from Google Adwords in the beginning are numerous.

1) First, it can be very expensive and most new marketers will exhaust their ad budget before they can successfully bring in revenue. This is mainly because Google Adwords can be deceptively difficult to master. The basic formula is to identify keywords, write an ad that uses the keywords and have a landing page that completely delivers on what your ad promises.

2) Next, Google rewards advertisers who solve the problem their searchers are trying to solve. If you fail to do this you can expect high cost per click and low traffic.

3) Further, Google purposefully keeps the exact formula for success under wraps. If you are not getting the results you are seeking, the support you receive from Google will be general at best. Expect Google to suggest "improve your landing page" or "tips for writing ads." On top of that, Google periodically change their rules requiring you to change your campaign or face the prospect of high cost per click or low traffic.

4) Last, the instant global reach of your Google Adwords campaign is accompanied by global competition with a wide variety of skill levels and budgets.

Keep your chin up though. There are many options that exist for the new marketer.

Often, new marketers have a lot more time than money. There are many low-tech approaches that have worked for decades and still do. These alternatives allow you to learn the ropes of marketing affordably allowing you to make mistakes without spending yourself out of business.

Using some of the methods below will allow you to use several forms of marketing which is a more balanced and stable long-term approach. Here is the big bonus: your competition is online losing their shirt with Adwords!

Here are just a few options when thinking about an offline marketing campaign. They may not be sexy, but they are time-tested, and still very effective marketing tools.

1) Newspaper Advertising - requires only a computer and 800 number. Information about newspapers from around the country is easily researched online and ads can cost as little as $10 per week.

2) Flyers - this is a big one for those who have time but little money. Getting flyers or business cards made is cheap and easy using a site like vistaprint.com. Spend a couple of hours a day papering parking lots. The key with this plan is to put out a lot of flyers (hundreds daily).

3) Bandit Signs - Simple three line signs that reside at intersections and other high traffic areas which direct prospects to an 800 number with a message. Signs cost between $2-$5 dollars each and work wherever your prospects pass by or congregate.

4) Warm market - You have an immediate advantage approaching people you know because a level of trust exists between you. Many marketers can get off to a quick start by starting here.

5) Article campaigns - this is absolutely free to do. Establish yourself online as a respected and knowledgeable marketer in your niche. You may still be learning the ropes about marketing but you definitely know more than most people about your business.

6) Blogging - Similar to article marketing in that you share information about your area of expertise. Once people see you as a helpful resource they will begin to seek you out. The key here is to provide new content on a consistent basis. You can start today with a free site from WordPress or Blogger

If you have the budget, make Google Adwords a part of your overall marketing plan AFTER you have established other forms of marketing. Whenever you are new at something you need to be allowed to make mistakes, learn from them and apply what you have learned in the future. Hard won knowledge is the best way to learn. By starting with basic (and still viable) forms of advertising you can develop into a well-rounded, knowledgeable and, ultimately, more successful marketer in the long term, which is everyone's goal.

About the Author

Brookview Partners teaches people how to become successful home-based entrepreneurs. Want to know the five principles we use and teach that have generated millions in income? Click below for our free report => http://www.thehomebusinessroadmap.com

About This Library

Article sites are flooded with articles on Web Design and Search Engine Optimization (i.e. ways to get your site to show up high in the important search engines). Sometimes dozens of new articles are added every week. Most are not worth the effort it takes to read them. A few, however, are truly interesting and useful.

For this blog, the Cheap Web Hosting Report staff will post the best web design and search engine optimization articles we find on articles sites. We'll try our best to separate the small amount of meat from the piles of bone and gristle.